3/6/2023 Politics Briefing

Individuals are ranked in four main classes in a hierarchical tier of “high” to “low” castes, with “lower” castes historically denied the same kind of access to resources and opportunities. Outside of the system are Adivasis, who are Indigenous South Asian people, and Dalits, who were formerly known as “untouchables” and were considered the “lowest” in status. 

People who experience caste-based discrimination at work can now sue their employers. Their cases will be processed by the Seattle Office of Civil Rights.

Worth noting: The measure does not appear to target a single community but aims to ban discrimination in caste systems present among Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Muslims, and Sikhs.

More than 150,000 South Asians live in the state of Washington, where Dalit activists say many people—particularly those in the tech sector—face unregulated caste-based discrimination, writes Associated Press’ Deepa Bharath.

Two out of three Dalits surveyed in a 2018 report by Dalit rights group Equality Labs reported that they experienced unfair treatment at their workplace because of their caste.

Samir Kalra, managing director of the advocacy organization Hindu American Foundation, said in a statement that the legislation takes a step toward “institutionalizing bias against all residents of Indian and South Asian origin.” 

HAF attorneys further claimed in a press release after the ordinance passed that it violates the U.S. Constitution’s “guarantees of equal protection and due process that prohibit the state from treating disparately people on account of their national origin, ethnicity, or religion.”

Last month, members of the Coalition of Hindus of North America signed a petition to urge Seattle to vote against the bill, arguing that the bill itself misrepresents South Asians as a heavily discriminatory group.

What we’re watching: California regulators sued Cisco Systems alleging that two upper-case Indian American managers discriminated against a Dalit employee. Though California doesn’t consider caste a protected status, the court case could have major implications for caste-related bias in the workplace.

States including Colorado and Michigan have also begun taking steps to recognize Dalit activism by declaring April 14 a day to honor Dr. Bhimrao Ramji (B.R.) Ambedkar, an advocate for abolishing the caste system who helped draft the Constitution of India.

The case has highlighted longtime tensions in the islands, where Native Hawaiians have fought to retain ownership and autonomy over their homelands ever since white colonizers invaded.

One day, Aki and Alo-Kaonohi came onto Kunzelman’s property and demanded that they leave, allegedly threatening to make him “go missing” before attacking him physically. 

During the encounter, Kunzelman was repeatedly called a “Haole,” a Hawaiian word that refers to foreigners and white people but can also mean “acting out of entitlement, and like you own the place,” Eastern Washington University Professor Judy Rohrer told the Associated Press’ Jennifer Sinco Kelleher.

Aki and Alo-Kaonohi’s attorneys argued that it was Kunzelman’s entitled and disrespectful attitude that provoked the attack, not his race. But use of the word “Haole” ended up forming the crux of federal authorities’ case against the two. Kunzelman had not met them before, per the DOJ, but testified in court that he had cut the locks to village gates at one point and sought to boost property values in the area—largely without residents’ input, defense attorneys said.

White people especially are unaccustomed to being racially identified, Rohrer said. “​​We’re used to being in the majority and then we get to Hawai‘i and all of a sudden we’re not in the majority, and that makes us uncomfortable,” Rohrer, who grew up white in Hawai‘i, told the Associated Press.

“I’ve learned in Hawai‘i, coming from the outside in, it’s a good thing to live by the people around you and not tell them to live by you and your values,” added Bruce Turnbull, a white retired teacher who says he hasn’t ever had problems living near Alo-Kaonohi’s family.

New developments involving the proposed 76ers arena that would sit blocks away from Philadelphia’s Chinatown could be delayed until the fall, Philadelphia Business Journal’s Paul Schwedelson writes. The proposal has faced backlash from community members who say it will negatively impact Asian residents and their businesses.

The local Vietnamese community is rallying to preserve Northern Virginia’s Eden Center, a hub for the local community and its cultural identity, amid new retail and residential redevelopments surrounding the area, DCist’s Héctor Alejandro Arzate and Tyrone Turner note. 

Hawai‘i has unveiled a new monument honoring the contributions of Filipino World War II veterans in hopes of carrying on their legacy and inspiring young people, HawaiiNewsNow’s Annalisa Burgos writes. It’s believed to be the first state that has commissioned such a monument.

The 2024 election cycle is reflecting a rapid increase in Indian American political representation, something that was almost unthinkable just years prior, The New York Times’ Maggie Astor and Jill Cowan write. Numerous factors have bolstered Indian political influence, especially the relative wealth and education of immigrants coupled with mobilizing efforts among advocacy groups.